John Kratky, The Horror of My Life

John Kratky, The Horror of My Life

In independent comics, few creators have carved out a unique niche quite like John Kratky. With a journey that began in 2006, he has navigated various genres.Ultimately honing in on his true passions: crime and horror. His latest offering, “The Long Death,” is a significant addition to his work, diving deep into the eerie landscapes of gothic and folk horror. As part of the Forgotten Folklore series, this graphic novel invites readers into a chilling narrative that juxtaposes childhood innocence with the stark horrors of adulthood.

Through Kratky’s engaging storytelling and striking visuals. Brought to life by artist Anna Wieszczyk—”The Long Death” promises to captivate horror enthusiasts and comic lovers alike. In this article, we delve into Kratky’s influences, memorable experiences with horror in literature and film. And his candid reflections on his craft. From the spine-tingling tales that shaped his childhood to the struggles of unfinished creative projects. We explore the mind behind the art. Join us as we uncover the passion and dedication that drives this innovative creator and discover why “The Long Death” holds a special place in his heart.

The first horror book I remember reading

Beyond the stories in the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books and the reprints of the old EC comics, the first book I can remember tackling at a young age was Stephen King’s Pet Sematary. I remember being in 7th grade and loving it. I’m certain it was probably inspired by seeing the movie.

The First Horror Film I remember watching

It’s hard to recall because I started watching horror at a young age.  The thing that sticks out most was a segment my dad showed me from the film Heavy Metal when I was young.  If you’ve ever seen the movie, you know why I couldn’t watch the whole thing, but he showed me the segment of the WW2 pilots turning into zombies, and I was blown away.  That clip opened me right up to horror, and the idea that animation wasn’t all Saturday Morning Cartoons.  

The Greatest Horror Book of All Time

I read more horror comics than I do novels, and I have to say that nothing really surpasses the old EC Comics in my mind.  All of their titles are great, with the crime comics just as horrific as their horror.  They really are what I read most as a kid, and I love them equally as an adult.  The stories are fun and ghoulish, the art is wonderful, and they have perfect endings.  

The Greatest Horror Film of all time

On any given day, this can change, but the most inspiring movies and stalwarts in my life since I was a kid have been Psycho, Night of the Living Dead, The Evil Dead II, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Sure, everyone knows them, and they are a lot of people’s favorites, but there is a reason for that: They are amazing. For a movie to deeply resonate with you for a span of 30+ years should tell you how special it is.

THE GREATEST WRITER OF ALL TIME

I’m weird and I don’t really have one writer where I have just devoured their library.  I’m always reading something different.  I’ve really loved David Goodis lately, and one of the best stories I’ve ever read is They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? By Horace McCoy.

THE BEST BOOK COVER OF ALL TIME

I’m going to cheat a bit here and say the edition of Frankenstein with art by Bernie Wrightson.  It may not necessarily be the cover, but he art throughout is amazing.  Bernie is one of the greatest horror artist of all time.

THE BEST FILM POSTER OF ALL TIME

There are so many amazing posters that really work, it is hard to say.  I recently did a horror movie marathon movie with my wife and the first movie we watched was The Gate.  I have to say, poster art always stood out to me.  The image of the title being carved out into the ground, and the hands of a demon clawing at the dirt with glowing eyes inside the blackness of the pit.  It’s a cool piece of art. 

THE BEST BOOK / FILM I HAVE WRITTEN

I’m very proud of my newest graphic novel The Long Death.  It is very different from any of my previous work.And I really tried to take a step back with the dialogue so that it could be a very visual narrative as comics should be.  It has good dialogue within it, but really only where it is needed.  The artist on the book is Anna Wieszczyk, and the story was actually inspired by her art.  I was so happy to have her on board because she really carries the story along with her dream-like visual style. And really places you into this world of gothic horror.  I’m so excited to finally get his book in the hands of horror fans,  I believe they will really love it.

THE WORST BOOK / FILM I HAVE WRITTEN

I had a webcomic titled Tales of Hammerfist.  When we started making it we just kind of went with some loose ideas, that ultimately had to be forced into a story.  It was never finished because the artist had to move on. And after I hired another artist to work on it, I just couldn’t afford to do it because I was creating two other comics, and one had to go.  I had an entire script finished in the end. But it was really a rough draft and should have been completed before we started so I could make it a tighter, better comic.  It’s a big regret because I think it could have been great.

THE MOST UNDERRATED FILM OF ALL TIME

It isn’t necessarily underrated, but out of all the Universal Monsters, nobody really references the original The Invisible Man.  He’s a creepy dude and it is such a well-done, entertaining movie.  I know there was a recent remake (which I still have to see), but you just don’t see much mention of the character.

THE MOST UNDERRATED BOOK OF ALL TIME

There is a book called Acid Dreams that I read like 20 years ago that I really loved and have always wanted to revisit.  It basically chronicled LSD in our culture.  It is such a fascinating history. I always thought that if there was a character that could be latched onto with in the story, Martin Scorsese could have made a great movie out of it in the style of Goodfellas/The Wolf of Wall Street.

THE MOST UNDERRATED AUTHOR OF ALL TIME

It’s not a question I can really answer as I jump around a lot. But I have been reading Chester Himes lately, and while I don’t think he’s underrated, I do think that modern audiences would love his work. 

THE BOOK / FILM THAT SCARED ME THE MOST

The last truly suspenseful movie I saw in theaters was probably Hereditary.  But the one thing that terrified my childhood was the 3 seconds of screen time the girl with no mouth gets in The Twilight Zone movie.  For some reason my sister and I watched that one a lot as kids. And I always ran out of the room during that scene.  I couldn’t handle it. 

THE BOOK / FILM I AM WORKING ON NEXT

The Kickstarter I am running for The Long Death is so important to get funded right now.  This is part of my Forgotten Folklore series. And I would love to publish one of these every year if possible, but I have to get people n board with this campaign now.  If you love gothic horror & folk horror, please check out my new book.  It has gorgeous art and a really enticing story that I think is perfect for reading alone at night.  You will be drawn into the world of the comic and not want to leave.  It is a very cathartic story of plague, ghosts, cannibals, and two children who may find revenge is their only option.  

John Kratky

John Kratky has been releasing comics independently since 2006.  Although he originally bounced around a variety of genres, he has recently been sticking to his two favorite, crime & horror.  His most recent release is The Long Death, part of his Forgotten Folklore series of graphic novels that explore the gothic & folk horror genres.  

In The Long Death we follow two children into the woods after they leave their plague-ridden village in search of something better.  Instead they find the nightmare of the corrupt adult world lurking within an old farmhouse.  Can they escape The Butcher & The Old Crone, or will they have to take matters into their own hands? 

WEBSITE LINKS

The Long Death is now funding on Kickstarter until November 27th:  thelongdeath.coffeetimecomix.com

Website: www.coffeetimecomix.com

Twitter/Instagram/Facebook: @coffeetimecomix

The Long Death

Hansel & Gretel meet The Texas Chainsaw Massacre!

An 80 page Gothic Fairytale that takes you into the woods, and leaves no breadcrumbs behind.  

A Town in Ruin from Plague!

Iris and Victor find each other at a moment when they need companionship the most. Their parents have died, and the town they live in is full of ghosts of the past. There is nothing left for them but their newly forged friendship. 

Horrifying Secrets in the Woods!

They leave for the city of West Arcanshire, where Iris has an aunt who may take them in. Not long after, they find trouble when Victor leaves the path in search of food. The smell of stew attracts him to a farmhouse hidden deep in the woods which belongs to The Old Crone and her son The Butcher. The two children learn that what cooks in the kitchen is not meant for them, rather they are meant for it. 

Spirits of Vengeance!

The land has gone sour with death as plague has infested town after town. Where dark clouds gather, so does the hopeful spirit of children, but as the corruption of the adult world comes to a reckoning, it is a spirit that will quickly turn to revenge.

For Fans of…

Comics Like: Harrow County & Tales from the Crypt 

Ghost Stories/Posession

Dark Fairy Tales

Jason Vorhees & Michael Meyers

Revenge Tales

Movies Like: House of 1,000 Corpses, Wrong Turn, Night of the Hunter, The Witch